Shock absorber for towlines



Mar. 20, 1923. I 1,449,346

. P. 'G. PAGEL SHOCK ABSORBER FOR TQWLINES Filed Apr. 25, 1921 PatentedMar. 20, 1923.

UNITED STATE meant PAUL G. PAGEL, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

SHOCK ABSORBER FOR TQWLINES.

Application filed April 23, 1921. Serial No. 463,999.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, PAUL Gr. PAoEL, a citizenof the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of LosAngeles and State of California, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Shock Absorbers for Towlines, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to tow lines particularly adapted for use inconnection with motor vehicles, and has for its object the provision ofshock absorbing means in the tow line, and also a construction wherein ayieldable contact is provided between the ends of the tow line andaxles, or the like, around which said ends are received.

The invention will be readily understood from the following descriptionof the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevationshowing the tow line in use and connected to the axles of a towing car,and a machine which is being towed.

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing a resilient connection between thesections of the tow line.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of this resilient connection.

Fig. 4 is aside elevation showing one end of the tow line.

The tow line is made in sections 1 and 2 adapted to be connected to thetowing car and to the towed car respectively. These sections arepreferably of metallic cable formed with usual rings 3 at the ends thereof and arranged to receive usual hooks 4:. The ends of the tow linesections adjacent the rings and hooks are preferably wrapped with ayieldable winding, such as usual hemp cable 5. By this arrangement theportions of the tow line which are wrapped around axles 6 of thevehicles are cushioned so as to prevent crushing or marring by themetallic cable forming the tow line.

A resilient connection is provided between the adjacent ends of tow linesections 1 and 2 so as to form a shock absorbing tow line. For thispurpose a usual ring 7 is provided at the end of one of the tow linesections and a yieldable Connecting member is provided at the end of theother tow line section.

This yieldable connecting member includes a tube preferably formed of asheet metal blank curved transversely so as to form tube portion 8terminating in eye lugs 9 formed by the respective sides of the blankand lying alongside of one another so as to form an eye through whichring 7 is received. t the opposite end of tube 8, the blank is 'foldedsoas to form a transverse closure plate 10 for the tube, and thisclosureplate is provided with an axial opening through which the end ofthe tow line is received. A usual coil spring 11 is re ceived withintube 8 so as to abut against end plate 10 at one end. The end of the towline section extends through the spring and beyond the opposite endthereof. with a suitable washer 12'received against said end of thespring, and the end of the tow line section held with relation to saidwasher as by receiving the same through the washer and providing aknotted enlargement 13 at the end of the tow line section.

By this construction it will be seen that a yieldable connection isprovided between the tube member 8 connected to tow line section 1 andthe tow line section 2 extending into said tube and as a consequence ashock absorbing tow line is thus formed.

Various changes may be made without dcparting from the spirit of theinvention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

A resilient connection comprising a single length of metal bent to forma tube terminating at one end in eye-lugs and at the other in a closureplate provided with an opening through which a section of towline isadapted to be extended into the tube, a ring within the tube forengagement with the knotted ends of said towline, and an expansiblespring within the tube and interposed between said ring and plate fornormally urging the towline section in wardly of the tube.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

PAUL G. PAGEL.

